Mandatory In-Person Attendance for Babies in Russia and the 10×15 cm Format in Ukraine: Photo Rules for a Child's International Passport

Comparison table for children's international passports

Russian Federation: strict requirements with no concessions for children

Biometric passport (new generation)

Russia's biometric track for international passports has no separate rule for children. The main trap for parents' expectations is that in Russia a biometric passport for a child does not require a printed photo brought from home: a child of any age, including an infant, must be taken to the office to be photographed digitally.

Under clause 88 of Order No. 996, "personal attendance at the migration affairs office is mandatory for all citizens regardless of age for their digital photographing". Clause 100 adds that the officer accepting the application photographs the applicant with a digital camera.

At the same time, an application submitted through the Gosuslugi portal must include an electronic photo file. Under clause 35.1, this photo must match the citizen's age on the day the application is submitted, may be black-and-white or colour, must measure 35 x 45 mm and show a clear image of the face without headwear. The head and the upper part of the shoulders must fit into the frame in close-up, and the distance from the crown to the chin must not exceed 80 percent of the size of the whole image (the vertical frame). The state fee for issuing a new-generation passport to a Russian citizen under 14 is 3000 rubles (subclause 6 of Article 333.28 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation).

Old-style passport (without an electronic chip)

The old-style international passport is governed by Order No. 186 of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia dated 31.03.2021. This is the only place in the entire Russian set of rules where the number of photographs for a child is stated directly. Under clause 30, two photographs of citizens under 14 are attached to the application for their passport. Separately, two photographs are attached for each child the applicant wants to have entered in their own passport, which is possible for children under 14.

The requirements for the image itself remain the same as for adults. Clause 89.1 sets the size at 35 mm × 45 mm. The fee for an old-style child's passport (under 14) is 1000 rubles, under subclause 5 of Article 333.28 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation.

No exceptions for babies

The pose requirements are set out in clauses 35.7 (Order No. 996) and 89.8 (Order No. 186). The rule requires the person in the photograph to be shown strictly full-face, looking straight ahead, with a neutral expression and a closed mouth. The citizen's eyes must be open, and hair must not cover them. Under both Russian rules, the background must be white and even, with no stripes, spots, images of other objects or shadows.

No Russian regulation publishes a photo rule for children: there is no separate head height for babies, no permission for closed eyes and no concession on facial expression. Anything you find online about "children's" allowances for a Russian international passport is not backed by the rules. Russian orders do not describe what to do if a child will not cooperate with being photographed at the office. A swaddling blanket or an adult's hands in the frame breach the rule.

If you need to prepare a correct electronic file or a print layout, you can get a Russian international passport photo through our service.

Ukraine: a special rule and the 10 × 15 cm format

The State Migration Service of Ukraine provides the only child-specific framework in figures published within our sample. When applying for a passport of a citizen of Ukraine for travel abroad for a person who has not reached the age of twelve, a single photo card measuring 10 x 15 centimetres may be submitted so that a digitised image of the face can be entered by scanning.

This rule also applies to people who cannot move independently due to a long-term health disorder and need urgent treatment abroad (as confirmed by a medical certificate). From the age of 12, a child is photographed at the office in the same way as an adult.

Under Order No. 875 of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine (Section II, §1), a photo card submitted for entry into the Register by scanning must be in colour and rectangular, measuring 100 × 150 mm, with the 150 mm side parallel to the centre line of the image. The background must be uniform and light, white or light grey, so that the face, hair and clothing stand out clearly against it. The Ukrainian page gives no other technical parameters for the 10 × 15 cm card; the authority does not publish them.

The passport of a citizen of Ukraine for travel abroad is issued to children from birth for 4 years, while citizens aged 16 and over receive it for 10 years. If the document is processed within 20 working days, the administrative fee is 1147 hryvnias (the administrative service costs 352 UAH and the blank costs 795 UAH). Urgent issuance no later than seven working days is also available.

Global statistics and the rules in Belarus

In our verified database of 241 document profiles, 229 contain information on print size, with 17 different sizes recorded. The most common size is 35x45 mm (148 profiles). Next in frequency are 51x51 mm (16 profiles), 30x40 mm (14) and 40x60 mm (11). Database figures as of 22 Sep 2026, the date of this article.

Background in our database: 52 of 241 profiles specify a white background, 23 name a specific non-white shade (light grey or off-white), and the rest simply require an even, light background. As for how recent the photo must be, only 32 of 241 profiles record a maximum age of the photo in months (for example, 30 profiles require a photo no older than 6 months). The remaining profiles do not record a numerical limit; this is a gap in our data, not evidence that no limit exists. Figures as of 22 Sep 2026.

In the Republic of Belarus, the base size of a printed passport photo is 40 × 50 mm (under Annex 1 to Resolution No. 251), after which photos prepared for pasting or scanning are cropped to 35 × 45 mm. The head height must be 32-35 mm (or 64-70% of the frame height). A light, plain background with no texture or noticeable gradients is required. However, the specifics of applying for a biometric passport for a child in Belarus are not documented in our file.

Why applications with children's photos are rejected

The grounds for refusal are set out in the orders:

• Failure to attend digital photographing (Russia, biometric). A ready-made photo is not accepted here: even an infant is taken to the office to be photographed on site (clause 88 of Order No. 996).
• No electronic file submitted (Russia, biometric). Under subclause 44.4 of Order No. 996, if the child's photo file is not attached when applying via Gosuslugi, the application will not be accepted, even though the actual photo will be taken later at the office.
• Defective paper photos (Russia, old-style). Subclause 42.4 of Order No. 186 states that missing photographs, or photographs that do not meet the requirements of clause 89, are grounds for refusing to accept the documents. For a family entering two children, this means six photo cards in a single visit.
• Other objects in the frame. Under both Russian rules, the background is white and even, with no stripes, spots, other objects or shadows: a swaddling blanket or an adult's hands in the frame breach the rule.
• Facial expression and eyes. The rule requires a neutral expression and a closed mouth at any age, and this is exactly where home-made photos of toddlers are most often turned down. The requirements "strictly full-face and looking straight ahead" and "the eyes must be open" have no age exceptions in either Order No. 996 or Order No. 186.
• Age limit for the 10 × 15 card (Ukraine). The Ukrainian 10 × 15 cm card is allowed only for children under 12; from the age of 12, a child is photographed at the office in the same way as an adult.

Step by step: submitting paper photos for an old-style passport (Russia)

If you are applying for an international passport without an electronic chip for your child, the procedure requires printed photos. Follow these steps based on Order No. 186 of the Ministry of Internal Affairs:

1. Taking the photo (practical tip). If you photograph the child yourself, follow the requirements of clause 89.8: strictly full-face, looking straight ahead, neutral expression, closed mouth and open eyes. Remove the swaddling blanket and the adult's hands from the frame: only an even white surface should remain behind the child.
2. Printing the photos. Print two colour or black-and-white photographs measuring 35 × 45 mm (under clause 89.1). To have details of minor children entered in a parent's passport, two photographs are needed for each child.
3. Paying the fee. The old-style passport for a child under 14 costs 1000 rubles.
4. Submitting the documents. Hand the complete set of documents, including the printed photos, to the officer.